Jürgen Klinsmann has promised that his USA team will play to win against Germany in their final Group G match on Thursday, even though a draw would be enough to see both teams through to the knockout phase. The manager faced several questions on the subject during a post-game press conference at the end of his team’s 2-2 draw against Portugal in Manaus.

More than one journalist made reference to an infamous game between West Germany and Austria at the World Cup in 1982. It was known before kick-off back then that a one- or two-goal victory for West Germany would guarantee both teams a place in the next round. That is exactly what came to pass, with Horst Hrubesch scoring after 10 minutes and neither side working very hard to do so again thereafter.

The match was subsequently dubbed the ‘Nichtangriffspakt von Gijón’ – the ‘Non-aggression pact of Gijón’ – by German reporters. But Klinsmann insisted there would be no such passive approach from his team against his countrymen in Recife.

“You’re talking about a game that is decades ago,” he said. “That is only a part of Germany’s history and not part of the United States’s history. I think if you look at the past of the US team, we always try to make things happen.”

Klinsmann cited his side’s last World Cup qualifier as evidence. The USA had already secured first place in the Concacaf qualifying section, whereas their opponents, Panama, needed a victory to finish above Mexico in fourth. Doing so would have earned them the right to play off against New Zealand for a place in the World Cup finals.

Panama held the lead in that game as late as the 92nd minute, but the USA – despite having nothing to gain from a victory – scored twice in second-half injury time to win and send Mexico through.

“We have that fighting spirit, and we give everything in every game,” continued Klinsmann. “We will go to Recife and we will give everything to beat Germany. That is our goal.”

Still, not everyone is convinced. One reporter followed up by asking Klinsmann what he might say to his Germany counterpart, Joachim Löw – a personal friend – if he were to drop him a line in the next few days to discuss playing for the draw.

“There is no such call,” responded Klinsmann. “Jogi is doing his job. We are good friends, and I am doing my job. My job is to get everything done to get us into the round of 16, and that is what I’m going to do. There is no time now to have friendship calls. That time is done.

“Both teams go into this game and they want to win the group. So we go into this game and try to beat Germany. To put ourselves in the driver seat for the last-16, that is our goal.”

Portugal’s hopes of going any further in this tournament look slim in any case. Even if the USA were to lose to Germany, Paulo Bento’s side would still need a victory over Ghana plus a four-point swing in goal difference in order to catch Klinsmann’s team.

Asked if he was worried about his group rivals conspiring, Bento replied that it was not even on his mind. “At this moment we have to think about our own teams, not think about what’s going to happen in another match with another team,” he said. “In all my years as a player and a coach, this is something that I have never thought about another team doing.”

TV ratings for soccer are up, fans are packing the bars, and Jürgen Klinsmann's team is on the verge of qualification from Group G. Is the US finally ready to embrace the global game? Tom Dart reports from Houston